Electrical connectors, including electric components such as modular jacks, can use various types of filters to reduce or eliminate noise, and can use LEDs to indicate a system status. Such filters may include a three terminal capacitor or a common mode choke coil. A disadvantage in the use of such filters is that they may complicate the production of the connector. A need, therefore, has been perceived for providing a filtered electrical connector or an electrical connector with one or more LEDs that are assembled in a relatively simple manner.
The use of an integral ferrite element for this purpose is proposed in Japanese Patent Publication 64-2273. This reference discloses a modular jack having a modular insert installed in a casing. The body of the insert is formed with ferrite, and on one side of the insert body insert holes are formed for introducing connecting lines to be connected to respective contact springs.
While this reference would appear to simplify the apparatus used for noise filtering in modular jacks, such filtered connector is larger than a comparable non-filtered connector. Thus, a need exists for further increasing the compactness of such filtered connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,619 discloses a filtered modular jack assembly having an outer insulative housing with open front and rear sides. A ferrite element with vertical conductive wires is positioned adjacent the rear end, and an elongated insulative insert is superimposed over the ferrite element. The insulative insert is fixed to the housing, and the conductive wire extends vertically from the ferrite element over the upper side of the insert to its terminal end and then bends downwardly and rearwardly to rest on the top surface of an interior medial wall in the housing. The connector, however, cannot interchange various filters. Accordingly, a need still exists for a connector jack which can achieve such compactness while using multiple types of filtering elements.
A need also exists for such a connector that can securely removably receive any of a plurality of components, such as a filter element, LED, or the like, as mounted within or on a component package, especially in the field. Accordingly, if in the field or elsewhere it is determined that one component is not desired or is not operating properly, the component package there-having may simply be removed from the jack, and be replaced by another component package having a more suitable component. A need further exists for such a connector that is properly shielded.